Amusement device



Dec. 4, 1928.

J. J. SCHMID AMUSEMENT DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 21, 1925 Dec. 4, 192s.'

J. J. SCHMID AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Sept. 21. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a T f ww. a n

P w n a 3 M M. 4 ,3 M 1 a 6 M M w w. w fl M 0/ 3M M 7 w d A 6 xx 2% Patented Dec. 4, 1928.

i UNITED 'QIOHiNJ. scams, or toUISvittn, KENTUCK extremism timer...

Application-filedSeptember '21, 1925; Serial No. 57,567.

An object of my invention is to'provide an amusement device comprising a 1 plurality of self propelled vehicles adapted to run on rails andcontrolled from a suitable station by a single operator. 7

Another object is to providea simple'and efficient s'elfpropelled vehicle for use in the amusement device referred to. I

Another objectis to;provide ajsimple and inexpensive differential rear truck structure, forself-propelled vehicles of thenkinddescribed. e

These and other objects are attained by' the means described herein, and disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l, is a diagrammatic plan new of a rail and electrically controlled'means of the device of my invention.

2 is a plan view .of a'v'eh-icle cliassls employed in the device ofcmy invention;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational viewof a vehicle shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view. on line 4 4 of Fig. 2. V p

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view on line '5-v-"5 of Fig-.2.

Figs 6 is across sectional. view on line a:

6 6 of Fig. 4.

The amusement device of my invent-ion comprises'a pair ofparallel rails which may be laid ouitto define a suitable, course, over which a plurality of'selfpropelled vehicles may travel. At a suitable starting point along the course there is provided a "station at which passengers mayfboa-rd and -.leave the vehicles and at this lpointtliere is providedan electrical switching device by means of which a single operator or careta'kernray cause the various vehicles to. stop, for taking on passengers, and pro'ceecl to the major portion of -the; co-urse. A portion of the rails preceding the loading and discharging station is adapted to receivethe vehicles with their car motors shut off so that said vehicles may travel under their own momentum to a controlled section of the rails from whence the operator may move thelvehicles one by one tojthe star-ting platform. Inasmuchas the occupants of the vehiclesdo not inany wise control the vehicle itisne'cessa-ry that "operation of the vehicles be simpleand that the structure; thereof be such as to perrnit them to travel at; areasonable rate-of, speed over a circuit .on therail without anydanger of becoming derailed.

Parallel rails 9 and lO-are laid upon suitable ties which serve to electrically insulate 1 the rails, one from the other. The rail 9 is continuous throughout the course While the rail 10 is composed of sections 11, 12,13

the transmission ofelectrical energy to all parts of, the, course. The switch 18 is nor- B0 and 14, each of which portions are electrically 16 while a second wire 17 of the circuit is" provided with a switch 18 which controls mally closed and is used only'inan emerapermanently connected with conductor 17 4 and the major section 11 of rail 10, while the sections 13 and 14 are thrown into and, out

7 of theelectrical circuit by means of switches 20 and 21 which are controlled by, the operator who stands adj-acentjloading platform vgenc-y o-rwhen it is desired to i complete a shut down of the device. A conductor 19' is whichthe vehicles may enterafter leaving the main course provided by rails 9 and'section 11 Of rail 1(). The vehicle 23 comprises a forward truck upon which abody of any suitable design,ifor

example',an automobile body 26, mounted.

suitable insulating'collar 30 which, extends through'the flange-28 and abuts the*'insulating block 29. [Collar 189, insulating block 29 and structure 2&- and a rear truck structure 25 fiange28 are provided with aligned perfora tions for receiving a bolt 31. 'A-nut 32 is providedonthe end of bolt 31 so that the parts inFi-g, 6.; Vehicle springs 33 are mounted upon suitable insulating blocks 34 and are.

fastened upon the stationary axlesv-27 by bolts 35, which pass'through the springs 33,

other. Asshown in-ZFigsFA; aud6,.an insu lat ng block 29 receives the flanges 28 in abutment against; the opposite s des thereof and one of'the'flangcs 28 is provided Witha 7 may be secured oneupon the other, as shown mounted-for free and independent'rot ation upon the axles'27. The rear truck structure comprises a simple and inexpensive driving and differential mechanism. A drive axle 37 has rear drive wheel 38 and sprocket 39 keyed thereto at its opposite ends. A stationary rear axle 40 has a wheel 41 mounted for free rotation thereon at its one end. The axles 37 and 40 are insulated one from the other substantially as in the forward truck, namely by means of a flange 1-2 secured to axle 40 which in turn has insulating block 43and flange 4a secured thereto. The flange .44 is provided with a suitable bearing for the inner end of drive axle 37 A tube 45 BIICHClGS'thG l1l1 ]01 portion of drive axle 37 and onerear spr ng 16 is secured by means of a suitable shackle 47 upon the tube 45. A sect on of tube '48 serves to encase the stationary rear axle 40 .and also to support the remaining rear spring 49. Mounted upon the top of forward springs 33 and rearpsprings 46 and 49, are

suitable cross members 50 and 51 which are of woodin order to insulate the opposite springs of the truck one from the other and to which are secured longitudinal channel beams 52 upon which thebody 26 of the vehicle-may be mounted. A support platform 53 is suspended intermediate the forward and rear trucks by any suitable means such as brackets 54 securedto the channels 52. As shown in Fig. 2, the support platform 53 carries an electrical motor 55 and a suitably supported counter shaft 56. Mounted on counter shaft 56 between suitable bearing blocks 57 is a sprocket 58 aligned with sprocket 39 on drive axle 37. A drive chain 59 passes over sprockets 58 and 39. "The motor 55 isprovided with a drive pinion 60 with drive sprocket 61'mounted on the outer end of counter shaft 56 through suitable drive chain 62. Feed wires 63 and64 are connected to the opposite sides of the forwardtruck by tor- A minals 65 and 66 respectively. From the foregoing it willbe apparent that when one or more of the vehicles are placed upon the rails 9 and 10 carryingelectrical current, sald current W1ll pass from rail 9" to one of thewheels 36 through axle 27 to terminal-66, feed wire 64 to motor 55 and return through feed wire 63, terminal 65, axle 27 21 so that he has control of any vehicle upon the course. Referring to Fig. 1,-andassuining that two ofthe vehicles 23 are in a position of rest,lon section 14.- of rail10. At this time the switch 21 wouldbe open. One or more vehicles 23" may also be in a position i be in an open position.

V of rest with the wheels thereof contacting section 13 of rail 10; andswitch 20 would" also 7 Assuming now that the operator desired tobegin operation of the of the vehicles.

course over rails 911.

device, he would close master switch 18 which would energize rail 9 and section 11 of rail 10. Switches 20 and 21being open, the vehicles 23 andf23 contacting sections 13 and '14 ofthe rail lOwould remain stationary. After loading thevehicles on'section 14, the operator would close switch 21 thereupon energizing the rail 14 and starting the motors 55 in each The vehicles would then move forward until the forward wheels of each vehicle movedon to section 11, whereupon said vehicles wouldmove along on the Assuming now that the operator wishes to bring vehicle 23 to the loading station, he would open switch 21 and close switch 20 whereupon rail 13 would become energized and motor55 in vehicle 23" would move forward on to section 14, where- .upon the motor 55 would again bedeener gizedf After the vehicles havev substantially covered the course, and the wheels pass on i the section 12 of'the rail 10, the motors of said vehicles automatically become-.deenergized because the section 12 is at all times dead or without electrical ener way, the vehicles are automatic l l without any special attentionof the o eratonf In. this stopped Suitable rheostats, not shown, ma provided for each of the switches in or er to regulate the current passing. to each section so that in this way the operator may control the speed of the vehicles on each of the sections of the course. of any kind, the operator may instantly deenergize the motors of all vehicles upon the course by opening the .master switch 18. From the foregoing it will be apparent that whilethe course may be laid out in a'complicated manner and a large-number of vehicles maybe operated gthereon, it is possible for a single operator to controland manage the entire device. 1 r

- It'would be observed that by using the divided rear" axle, there has been provided a In simple and efficient differential system for the rear truck, and that by mountin the counter In the event of an emergency shaft 56 between the bearings 5 the torque of the drivingmeans upon the vehicle structure is greatly reduced. For this reason it is possible to manufacture the vehicles quite.

inexpensivel and atthesame time to provide a safe 'and e cient device. WhatIclaimis: s I

1. In a device of the class described the I i combination of an endless rail and a second rail comprising sections electrically insulated fromthe first rail and fromone another, a

source of electrical energy controllable to ro vide independent electrical circuits with the. first rail and several of the sections of the second rail, one of said sections being free of connection with the source of electrical energy, avehicle having wheels of electricity conducting material insulated from one another and adapted to contact with the rails,

and an electric motor carried by the vehicle and having electricalconnection With the Wheels. 7 1

2. In a vehicle of the class described the combination of a nonrotating axle havingits V opposite ends electrically insulated one from v the other, a rear axle comprising a revoluble last mentioned section of rear axle and electrically connected to opposite ends of the front axle.

3. In a vehicle structure the combination with a driven shaft and an aligned stationary shaft, a Wheel fixedly mounted to the driven shaft, a second wheel freely revoluble on the stationary shaft and 4.. In an amusement device the. combination of an endless track comprising parallel rails, one of said rails forming a continuous electrical conductor, the other of said rails being provided With sections, electrically insulated from one another and from the first mentioned rail, means for independently connecting the first mentioned endless rail and the several insulated sections excepting one of the second rail With a source of electrical energy and a motor driven vehicle supported,

on the track and adapted tocomplete an electrical circuit through the continuous rail and one of thesections of the second mentioned rail for energizing the motor of the" JOHN J. SCHMID. 

